Uveitis

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Background

  • Uveitis = inflammation of iris, ciliary body, and/or choroid
Anterior uveitis
Anterior uveitis with hypopyon

Types

  • Anterior Uveitis
    • Inflammation of iris and/or ciliary body
    • Types:
  • Posterior uveitis = choroiditis

Causes

Complications

Clinical Features

Anterior

  • Sudden red/painful eye
  • Deep pain; worse with eye movement
    • Due to ciliary muscle spasm which irritates CN V
      • Causes consensual photophobia
  • Ciliary flush, marked injection at the limbus (as opposed to perilimbal sparing seen in conjunctivitis)
  • Typically small, poorly reactive pupil

Posterior

Slit-lamp exam

  • Cell (WBCs from uveal vessels) & flare (proteinaceous transudate from uveal vessels)
  • Hypopyon (with severe disease)

Differential Diagnosis

Unilateral red eye

^Emergent diagnoses ^^Critical diagnoses

Acute onset flashers and floaters

Evaluation

Management

Infectious

  • Treat the underlying infection

Noninfectious

Anterior uveitis

Disposition

  • Generally may be discharged with urgent ophthalmology follow-up within 24-48 hours

See Also

References